Soxagon blows away rivals to secure victory
RACING: Lightly raced threeyear-old Soxagon added to trainer Ben Currie’s successful afternoon when he opened his winning account with an extraordinary Clifford Park victory on Saturday.
Soxagon ($2.40 fav) joined Currie’s winning Saturday wave with an effortless display to take out the Ray Bunch Machinery Maiden Plate (1000m) for jockey Beau Appo.
Soxagon travelled mid-field before unwinding a long run from around the 700m mark and charging away in the home straight to score by 93⁄4 lengths from Dashing Ocean ($13).
Snap On ($3.10) was another 11⁄4 lengths back third.
The Rocker colt’s winning time shaved almost half-a-second off the class record held by Mr Marbellouz.
Soxagon finished out of the money in his first two race starts before spelling last April and Currie was not surprised by his return performance.
“He’s a good horse,” Currie said.
“Not much went right for him in his first two runs but we knew he had ability.
“He’s a big gangly horse and if anything I was a bit worried about the 1000, being too short today.
“I think he’s definitely the type that can get to town pretty quickly, especially in something over longer.”
Eight Over ($1.95 fav) sealed a winning Currie double on the seven-race card when he made it successive Clifford Park victories after downing Tisani Magic ($2.50) by 21⁄4 lengths for apprentice Nick Keal in the Neil Mansell Concrete Class 3 Handicap (1050m).
The Currie stable was successful at Doomben with Mishani Hustler ($2.60 fav), Sword Of Justice ($2.60) and Mishani Vaidra ($9.50).
Toowoomba middle-distance mare Ruby Guru added to her good fresh record when she resumed with a smart victory for trainer Michael Nolan in the Wholesale Horsewear House Benchmark 70 Handicap (1300m).
Jockey Shannon Apthorpe had Ruby Guru ($10) positioned in the box seat until straightening where she surged through a gap to race clear for a 11⁄4 length win over solid-finishing Selfie ($19).
■■ EXCITING Toowoomba sprinter staked his bid for a Weetwood Handicap start with a comprehensive Open Handicap (1200m) win for trainer Kevin Kemp at Doomben on Saturday.
Apprentice Baylee Nothdurft guided Mr Marbellouz ($1.50) to a 31⁄4 length all-theway victory over Courtza King.
The Weetwood will be run at Clifford Park on April 6.